Newsies
Summary: Jack Kelly has a younger sister who's been a newsies as long as he has. When the price for papes goes up, she's right by his side as leader. She's not afraid of anything - not even Spot Conlon. When she meets him at Medda's she knew she was going to regret it. Spot C./OC
A/N: I am from Texas. I don't know how New York Newsies speak - I'm just guessing from the movie dialogue so I apologize if my 'New York Accent' is absolutely horrid. I'm also using other stories on here for their accents - so thank you to those people.
I'm using the movie for timeline, events, and dialogue - most songs will be from the Broadway Musical so that's your reason for not recognizing any lyrics. Also, I'll have changed some of them to fit the situation. You'll see it in 'Santa Fe'. Also, the only songs I am using are from the Musical unless I tell you otherwise. So, any songs you don't recognize are more than likely from the Musical. Songs that have dialogue in them will be the only time you see proper speach for more than a sentence from these characters. Jus' so'se ya know.
Fun Fact: Did you know, Kid Blink is a real person? He was the leader of the Brooklyn newsies and the leader of the actual strike in 1899. He was actually called Kid Blink. He had a thick brookyn accent and was basically David, Jack, and Spot rolled into one. Cool right?
This fic is rated T for drugs/alcohol, some suggested adult themes, Spot Conlon, New Yorkers, some cursing, and the insane hormone levels of the teenage newsies in Medda's performance hall.
Disclaimer: If I owned Newsies, there would have been a lot more Spot Conlon. But I don't so there isn't.
Songs:
Santa Fe(Prologue):
Jack, Jewel, Crutchie, Jack and Jewel,Jack and Crutchie, Jewel and Crutchie, All
"Jewels, youse gots to give it a break."
"Why? Embaressed yer sister can sell moah papes dan youse?"
"No! Youse jus' gets more 'tention than youse should."
"Aw, youse' worried 'bout me. Dats sweet. Jus' 'cause I'ma goil don' mean I'se can't handle my's self out dere."
"I knows that, I'se jus' don' want youse to get hoit."
"Jack, youse gotta stop worryin' 'bout me. I'se can handle mys self. Youse know dat."
"I'se is jus' worried 'bout you. I don' wan' nothin' bad to 'appen t' youse. I'se already loist you'se once." I see Jack's eyes fill with concern and I quickly fix my mistake.
"I'se know. 'Ey, look at these 'eadlines. 'Trolly Strike Drags On, Two Deaths Not Releated to Trolly Strike, Missing Sullivan Girl Still Not Found'…"
"'Ey, it'll be fine. They'se won' find 'er."
"They'se say that she was smuggled outa t'e Refuge by 'er brodda - who 'ad escaped earlier."
"Well, They'se got dat right. Does dat t'ing say why they's lookin' fer 'er?"
"Yea, says 'ere she's a dangerous criminal dat needs all de help de Refuge can provide. Well, dats a load o' bull. At least they'se 'ave no ideas 'bout 'er location."
"Dats good. We can use dat to help sell papes too."
"T'anks fer de good idea. Dangerous Criminal On The Loose! No Leads On The Location Of An Escaped Prisoner!"
"I'se can' believe you'se!"
"I'se learned from de best."
"You'se taught yerself!"
"Exactly. Extra Extra! Escaped Prisoner: Are We Safe?!"
I laughed at my brother's expression as we walked back to the lodging house at the end of the day. He was still selling' papes while I had sold all mine. Granted, being a girl did sell more papes - and got you several dates you'd never show up to. He was sulking because by the time we got back the only reason he sold all his was one man thought I was pretty and I asked him to buy it for me because I told him I had no money. It worked quite well - much to Jack's embaressment.
It was pretty dark - at least it wasn't midnight. Somethimes we'd work later than that though. As Jack and I walked into the boy's room, the room was ringing with welcomes. Racetrack, Mush, Snipeshooter, Cat, Lily and Ruby were playing cards while everyone else looked on. I noticed that there was a couple coins, some socks, and a hat in a pile in the middle of the table. Poker. I felt bad for the boys - Ruby was one of the best Poker players Jack and I know. She smirked to herself and revealed her cards and the boys groaned. Before I ended up in Manhatten the girls decided they would basically gang up against the boys. We might compete against each other, but we shared our winnings evenly. Giving a little extra to those who need it most. There weren't a lot of girl newsies, do we did what we could to help each other. "How's did ya win!"
"Racetrack, youse should know betta than to play wit Ruby. She can beat anyones. Now, go make a bet you'se knows you'se can win." The girls and I went back to our bunch room and Ruby spoke.
"Not everyone. I'se only been beatin' once t'ough."
"By who?" I asked, not believing her.
"Brooklyn. 'E plays a mean game."
"Dat he does," Lilly said.
"I wouldn't know. I'se is always gone when 'e is 'ere."
"How do you manage dat? Spot's always ovah 'ere. When 'e ain't runnin' Brooklyn dat is."
"Beats me Cat. Some'ow I'se leaves an when I'se come back, Brooklyn has jus' left."
"Well, Spot's bringing 'is boys to Medda's show t'marrow. Maybe you'se can fin'lly meet 'im den," Ruby said, fingering the coins she won. Ruby was very attractive. She somehow kept her hair a color that would rival ripe tomatoes, as well as her lips. Her eyes were a vivid blue and her skin was very pale. How she was so pale was a mystery to me - she sold papes sunrise to sundown.
"Ruby, de day I'se goes to one 'o Medda's shows is de day de World stops printin' papes. Dere's a reason de boys like dem so much."
"We all know dat - 'specially Medda. It's what keeps 'er from livin' on da streets. She's miss'n you - you'se and Jack keep 'er life interestin'."
"I knows - I'se jus' know dat if I'se go dere somet'in bad's gonna 'appen."
"Like what?! Wit all de Newsies at the shows dere's no way you'se can get hurt. They all knows who you are. 'Sides, Jack would soak anyone who laid a finger on you'se."
"Even Spot Conlon - the King of Brooklyn?"
"'Specially Spot Conlon," Cat said, scaring us all. We called her Cat because she acted so much like one. She moved so silently she might as well be one. Cat had dark brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes, with light colored skin. Lilly was blonde with blue eyes and crazy sweet. Her eyes alone drew boys from miles around.
"You know, maybe you should stay away from Medda's - you're saving Jack from having to soak most of New York."
"Please, Jack wouldn't have de chance to soak 'em."
"Yeah, you'd soak 'em 'fore he'd even get close"
"An' you'se betta believe it! Now, les get to bed 'fore it ges too late. We's has to sell lots o' papes t'marrow if you'se all wanst to see Medda's show t'marrow night!"
The next morning, Crutchie, Jack and I were sitting on the roof fairly early - none of us could sleep. I could only assume Crutchie was getting pains from his bum leg. "Them streets down there, they sucked the life right outta my old man. Well they ain't doin' that to me," Jack said.
"But everyone wants to come to New York," Crutchie said in a voice that seemed too young. I responded in kind to Crutchie.
"You keep your small life in the big city. Give me a big life in a small town.
They say folks is dyin' to get here.
Me, I'm dyin' to get away,
to a a little town out west
that's spankin' new.
And while I ain't never been there,
I can see it clear as day.
If you want, I bet'cha you could see it, too.
Close your eyes...
Come with me,
Where it's clean and green and pretty.
And they went and made a city outta clay.
Why, the minute that we get there,
Folks'll walk right up and say,
"Welcome home, son, welcome home to Santa Fe!"
Plantin' crops,
Splittin' rails,
Swappin' tales around the fire,
'cept for Sunday when you lie around all day.
Soon your friends are more like family,
and they's beggin' you to stay!
Ain't that neat?
Livin' sweet
in Santa Fe.
"Hey, no one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe," I said. "You just hop a Palomino, you'll ride in style!"
"Feature me, ridin' in style."
"Hey, I bet a few months of clean air, you could toss that crutch for good," Jack exlaimed.
Santa Fe,
you can bet.
We won't let them bastids beat us.
We won't beg no one to treat us fair and square.
There's a life that's worth the livin',
and I'm gonna do my share.
Work the land.
Chase the sun.
Swim the whole Rio Grande just for fun!
Watch me stand!
Watch me run...
Hey, hey...
Don't you know that we's a family?
Would I let you down?
No way.
Just hold on, kid,
till that train makes Santa Fe."
"'Ey, Crutchie, let's go get some papes. It's nevah too early ta carry da banner." He nodded and we hurried to the distrubition center where Mr. Wisel - or Weasal as most call him - was absent. Well, it is pretty early - he usually appeared after all the Newsies arrived and Jack and I finished with the Delancy Brothers. After a few harsh raps on the door to Mr. Weasal's 'office', he came out and we got our papes then set out to carry the banner for the day.
That night, Ruby started pestering me. "Jewel's, you'se is comin' t'night wetha you'se wan to or not."
"No I'se is not Ruby."
"You ain't seen Medda in forevah t'ough!"
"Yeah, and as 'orrible as dat is, I'se still ain't goin'. She'll put me inta one o' her outfits 'cause she wans me tah look "nice" and den I'll have to soak mosta New York for lookin weah dey shouldn't be."
"Jus t'night Jewel. Den I promise I'se won't evah ask ya tah cone to Medda's 'less it's extremly important. I'se'll even let you'se 'ave mys last smoke." She pulled out a cigeratte and after a few moments took it reluctantly as a sign I gave in.
"Ruby, you know Jewel don't like it when you'se have smokes inside-" Racetrack stopped short when he saw it was me smoking and not Ruby. He smiled wryly, "I guess you'se is comin' to Medda's then."
"Unfortunately, yes. Is Jack?"
"Nah, 'e's out like a light. We ain't bodderin' 'im."
"Guess I'd betta come den. You'se all head out. Don't wait fer me, I'se gotta do sometin' real quick."
"Alright Jewel." Once everyone was gone I stiffeled a scream. No one knew I had history with the arrogant ass who calls himself Spot Conlon. I knew exactly when he was around and made sure I avoided him at all costs. I had just set myself up to see him again.
"I hate you so much Ruby," I muttered and headed to Medda's.
I hid at the back of the hall, where there was a door to the alleyway behind the building. I never liked being in the crowd at Medda's and I made a point of it. I smoked a ciggarette and gave glares to the drunk men giving me looks that betrayed what they wanted. Eventually, I gave up on the hope they'd leave me alone. Ignoring their protests, I slipped out into the alleyway. "Number one reason why I hate coming here," I muttered, not thinking anyone would here.
"Jewels? Is that you'se?" I stiffened at the voice and hit my head. Of course He would be back here.
"Go die in a hole."
"Jewels! I'se thought it was you'se."
"What do you want?"
"Me? I'se don't want nothin'. It's jus' nice to see you'se is all. How long's it been?"
"Not long enough." He put his hand over his heart, faking hurt.
"Wow Jewel, dat hurt. You'se know de boys really miss ya. What 'append?"
"Let's see… Ya kicked me outta da city, den on my way ta 'Hatten a particular Warden decided to pay me a visit."
"Ah, so'se dats why you'se are bein' so mean. Come on, you'se know I didn't really mean it. You'se didn't 'ave ta leave."
"Well, it sure didn' seem dat way."
"So'se, what 'append when da warden found ya?"
"Exactly what 'appens to anysone de warden finds. I'se would rather not talk about it."
"I-I'se sorry Jewel. I never thought do you'se would end up in da Refuge. Dey's nevah caught you'se before."
"Yeah, well 'e caught me dat time."
"Jewel, are you'se out 'ere?" Ruby's voice came from the door and she saw who I was with. "Hey, you'se fin'lly met Spot Conlon!" I pushed past Ruby, needing to get away from Mr. High and Mighty. "Hey, where are you going!"
"Away from da idjit dat calls 'imself da King of Brooklyn," I yelled as I walked out of the alley.
A/N: I hoped you liked it! R&R!